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The Organocatalysis is a fluent and vibrant new field of research which is introducing
new methods and concepts in organic synthesis. Organocatalysis is the catalysis of
chemical reactions with small organic molecules. A metal is typically not present in the
substrate, nor is it a part of the catalytic mode of action. Traditionally, chemists use
almost exclusively metal-containing catalysts. This is surprising if one considers that
only half of the enzymes, the efficient catalysts of nature, contain metals.
Only recently, have chemists realized that even low molecular weight pure organic
catalysts are able to catalyze chemical reactions in a highly efficient and selective
manner. Such organocatalytic reactions are attractive not only from an academic point
of view, but they are particularly useful for industrial syntheses: the catalysts used are
typically robust, not expensive, nontoxic and easy to synthesize. Other advantages of
organocatalytic reactions are that they are generally insensitive to air and moisture and
are often carried out at room temperature.
Since the rediscovery of Organocatalysis by List, MacMillan, Barbas, Jørgensen,
Terada, Akiyama, Hayashi and many others, the appeal of the new methodology
has encountered the favor of the Chemical Community. The number of publications
concerning organocatalytic methodologies has grown exponentially in the last decade.
CATAFLU.OR Symposium
A symposium of organocatalysis will be organized in Bologna on 24-25 March 2011
to celebrate the success of organocatalysis and to present the results obtained in the
context of the European project called CATAFLU.OR.
During the symposium, all aspects of organocatalysis related to new reactions, new
organocatalytic cascade processes, new mechanistic studies of organocatalytic
Despite widespread immunization, influenza still kills thousands of people, and costs
to the US, Europe and Asia enormous amounts of money in terms of healthcare
expenses and productivity losses. Small-molecule antiviral agents represent a novel
opportunity for an effective prevention and therapy of flu. Inhibitors of neuraminidase
(NA), essential enzymes for viral replication in all three classes of influenza viruses,
March, 24/25 - 2011
have been recently found. Two of these inhibitors have reached the market, namely
Hotel Re Enzo,
zanamivir and oseltamivir phosphate. The recent health concerns related to the avian
Via Santa Croce 26
flu have increased the demand for stockpiles of neuraminidase inhibitors, both as a
Bologna - Italy
reasonable frontline therapy against a possible flu pandemic and as a preventive agent.
In order to find new drug candidates, cut the drug costs and improve availability as
well as efficiency, new chemical syntheses are necessary. The project proposes a new
domino reaction based on an organocatalytic approach to the synthesis of Tamiflu and
new inhibitors of neuraminidase derivatives.
Professor Pier Giorgio Cozzi, University of Bologna
Thursday 24thFriday 25th
09.15 Introduction and welcome
09.00 Kinetic Aspects of Nucleophilic Organocatalysis
PG. Cozzi, F. Zerbetto, University of Bologna
09.30 Aminocyclohexenes - From an unwanted side product to a
09.40 Asymmetric organocatalysis under non-traditional conditionsversatile synthetic platform
10.10 Catalysis and Cascades in Complex Alkaloid Natural
10.00 New Concepts in Organocatalysis Product Synthesis’
10.40 New indole derived organocatalysts and their applications in asymmetric Michael reactions
11.20 Characterization of Reactive Intermediates in Organocatalysis - generally accepted mechanisms revisited and revised
11.30 Organocatalysis under less common conditions
12.00 Selected communication chaired by P.G CozziOrganocatalysis with Weak Interactions: Cooperativity and Bifunctionality
12.10 Selected communication chaired by PG. Cozziare Essential for Stereocontrol - Luca Bernardi, University of Bologna
New Strategies in Organocatalysis: Enamines and (Chiral) Bases - Marco Bella,
Cooperative Combination of Enantioselective Organocatalysis with Purely Organic, Visible Light Photoredox Catalysis - Kirsten Zeitler, University of
Catalytic Asymmetric Epoxidation of α-Branched Enals - Olga Lifchits, Max-
14.00 Design of High-Performance Organocatalysts for
14.30 Two “One-Pot” synthesis of Tamiflu and Organocatalysis Green Sustainable Chemistry
15.10 Cinchona-based Primary Amines: Toward the
14.40 Asymmetric Catalysis with Peptides and Other Bioinspired Second Generation of Privileged Organocatalysts Catalysts
P. Melchiorre, Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ)
15.50 Chiral Ion Pair Catalysis - From Biologically Inspired
15.20 Organocatalytic asymmetric conjugate addition of Concepts to Applications carbonyl compounds to Michael acceptors
17.00 Selected Communication chaired by P.G. Cozzi
16.30 Selected Communication chaired by P.G. Cozzi Enamine intermediates in aminocatalysis: Detection and Characterization -
Desymmetrization of meso-Aziridines with Chalcogen-centered Nucleophiles Catalyzed by VAPOL-hydrogen Phosphate - Giorgio Dalla Sala, University of
Enantioselective Reduction of Carbon-nitrogen Double Bond -
Ethynyl BeziodoXolone (EBX) as Reagent for Metal-free Ethynylation of Stable SN1-type reactions in the Presence of Water: Indium (III) Promoted Highly
- Davinia Fernandez, Polytechnic of Lausanne
Enantioselective Organocatalytic Propargylation of Aldehydes - Andrea Gualandi,
New Organocatalytic Process Involving Michael type Additions - Jose Aleman,
Thiourea-Cinchona Alkaloid-Catalyzed Asimmetric Addition of β-ketosulfonate to Green, Enviromentally Sustainable Organocatalysis Using Bifunctional Nitroalkenes: an Easy Acess to Functionalyzed Chiral Cyclic Nitrones - Olga Garcia,
Aminoboronic Acids: Applications for the Synthesis of Bioactive Piperidine Alkaloid Derivatives - Irene Georgiou, University of Durham